CONWAY, S.C. –
Ty Dooley sparked a 10-run sixth inning to propel the nationally-ranked No. 18 Coastal Carolina Chanticleers (10-2) to a 14-8 home win over the USC Upstate Spartans (6-6) at Springs Brooks Stadium on Tuesday evening. The Chanticleers have won nine straight contests after beginning 1-2 to open the season.
Trailing 5-4, Coastal's bats came alive in the bottom half of the sixth inning as the Chanticleers scored 10 runs to take a 14-5 lead. Dooley blasted a shot over the left center wall to even the game at 5-5 to start the home portion of the sixth.
Sam Antonacci walked and advanced to third on a single by
Blake Barthol.
Derek Bender was hit by a pitch to load the bases before a wild pitch scored Antonacci from third and moved Barthol and Bender into scoring position to give the Chants a 6-5 lead.
CCU's
Zack Beach loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk, which was quickly followed by
Graham Brown hitting a grand slam to give the Men in Teal a 10-5 lead.
Dean Mihos hit a one-out single and scored on Dooley's second hit of the inning before Barthol wrapped up the scoring with a two-shot down the left field line to give Coastal a 14-5 lead.
After both teams left runners on the base paths in the first two innings, the Spartans opened the scoring in the third inning on a three-run home run by Noah Sullivan to lead 3-0. Coastal answered in the bottom half of the third after Antonacci reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a Bender home run to left field to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Upstate added two more off a home run by David Pereira to lead 5-2 in the top of the fourth. Coastal cut into the Spartans lead when
Jake Books scored on a sacrifice fly by Antonacci to trail by two at 5-3. The Chants cut the lead to 5-4 after Brown walked and scored on a double by Books to right center.
The Spartans finished the scoring in the top of the seventh as Sullivan hit his second three-run home run of the game to score Hamilton and Jace Rinehart.
Coastal's
Parker Cassell (1-0) picked up his first win as a Chanticleer. Cassell pitched 2.0 innings, allowing one hit while striking out one batter. The Spartans' Jagger Jefferis got the loss, giving up three hits and allowing four runs in 2.0 innings, while walking three batters.
Coastal Carolina and USC Upstate will meet in a second midweek game on Wednesday, March 6, at Springs Brooks Stadium with a 4 p.m. ET scheduled first pitch. The games will be streamed on ESPN+.
For complete coverage of CCU baseball, follow the Chants on social media @CoastalBaseball (Twitter), facebook.com/CCUChanticleers (Facebook), @GoCCUsports (Instagram), or visit the official home of Coastal Carolina Athletics at www.GoCCUsports.com.